HomePod (2nd-Gen) Review: My sound system of choice - MobileSyrup

I recently spent time with Apple’s latest and greatest smart speaker, the HomePod (2nd-Gen). Apple sent me two HomePods and an Apple TV 4K, allowing me to test the smart speaker’s surround sound and spatial audio while turning my living room into a better entertainment space. Before getting my hands on all this Apple tech, I only had my TV with a Panasonic sound bar we got from our neighbour, who was throwing it out. And for music, we used a Nest Audio connected to my Spotify account.

Switching to dual HomePods drastically improved the home entertainment experience in my living room, offering more depth to the music, movies and games we play in the entertainment space. I’ll get into it more later, but I’m sold on this new 2nd-Gen HomePod feature.

My roommates and I use the living room quite often. When we eat dinner together, host movie nights and play board games, we often boot up some tracks to amp up our competitiveness. With that out of the way, here are the various ways Apple’s 2nd-Gen HomePod has improved my living room listening experience and how the new speaker compares to competitors.

Play that track

Music on the HomePod (2nd-Gen) is clean and clearly separates songs’ bass and treble. And with the help of spatial audio on Apple Music, the HomePods transport you into a figurative studio, creating depth in certain tracks that you wouldn’t hear otherwise. For the below experience, I used Apple Music as Spotify lacks Spatial Audio.

“Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras offers a creepy experience with acoustics that sound like they’re coming from every angle as the soundwaves bounce off walls, encompassing me with several background harmonies. “Hotel California” (Live on MTV, 1994) by The Eagles brings the listener back to the early-mid 90s like we’re at a concert venue with deep bass and the prominent acoustics of the instruments. The sound of attendees’ voices and The Eagles themselves are also layered, creating an immersive sound stage.

A fantastic song to test out spatial audio is also one of my favourite tracks for karaoke, “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. It sounds decent at first, but after the “I see a little silhouette of a man” section of the song, the 2nd-Gen HomePod takes it to a whole other level, perfectly utilizing Dolby Atmos’ surround sound and spatial audio with harmonies and melodies to create an epic concert in the entertainment space. This was definitely my favourite song I tested out, and one I showed to several friends.

Of course, I also had to test out the hymns of my people and the songs of my past — dancehall and emo/punk music. Unfortunately, the dancehall songs didn’t use spatial audio, but the vocals were clean and crystal clear, and the bass was punchy. I’d personally like to have more bass when I’m listening to dancehall music, as I want it to feel like I’m destroying the speakers (like in my 2001 Mazda when I was 21). Switching over to my more punk/emo side, listening to “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne was probably the best music experience I’ve heard for this song in a home — and this was a go-to at house parties in my early ’20s. The vocals were pronounced and I felt like Adam Schlesinger was singing directly to me. There’s a soprano-like harmony in “Stacy’s Mom” that I don’t think I’ve ever heard before.

“To compare the HomePod (2nd-Gen) with the Nest Audio is like comparing a single apple to a grove of apple trees”

I also listened to songs like “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At the Disco (RIP), “1985” by Bowling for Soup, “Smooth Criminal” by Alien Ant Farm, “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World, “Island in the Sun” by Weezer and “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance. Again, the experience was great with these songs, with pronounced, clear vocals and phenomenal instrumentals. Not all of these songs offer Dolby Atmos, however.

Single experience

While Apple sent me two HomePod speakers to pair for stereo sound, this won’t be the experience for everyone. That said, I have one of the HomePod speakers up against a corner wall, and solo, it still produced a cage-like effect with sound waves, and while the sound experience isn’t as good as two speakers, it’s still enjoyable. I tested a few songs in the ‘Songs for Spatial Audio’ playlist on Apple Music, but the audio wasn’t as dynamic as it was with two speakers. The other speaker wasn’t near any walls, so it lacked the impact of the figurative sound cage, but the music was spread out evenly from every angle and still offered a decent listening experience.

To compare the HomePod (2nd-gen) with the Nest Audio is like comparing a single apple to a grove of apple trees. The Nest Audio provides a decent, loud listening experience, but its sound doesn’t feature the same level of detail that’s available from the HomePod (2nd-gen). While the speaker may actually be louder than the HomePod — I played the same song and went back and forth to test this out — the HomePod (2nd-Gen)’s acoustics and instrumentation are clearer and richer. Overall, the Nest Hub sounds hollow and lacks depth compared to the fullness of the HomePod. Of course, this makes sense, given Nest Audio is less than half the cost of Apple’s new smart speaker.

I found the HomePod mini’s sound experience comparable to the Nest Audio. I’ve spent weeks listening to Apple’s smaller smart speaker and never thought, “this is something I need to buy for myself.” I don’t have much experience listening to the 1st-generation HomePod, but based on my limited time with Apple’s original smart speaker, the 2nd-Gen HomePod sounds very similar to its predecessor. However, the new HomePod features spatial audio alongside the same room-sensing as its predecessor, resulting in more immersive audio.

Entertainment room

When I learned about the HomePod (2nd-Gen), one of the key new features I was interested in checking out was the Apple TV 4K connectivity. I love a good movie night with my roommates, so I tested several different movies and TV series on services like Crave, Apple TV+, Disney+ and Netflix, which all provide some surround sound experience with specific titles. Thankfully, connecting the HomePods to the Apple TV 4K was easy through Apple’s Home app.

First, I watched the second episode of The Last of Us (spoilers ahead, skip to the next paragraph to avoid them), but in this episode, Joel, Ellie and Tess traverse abandoned Boston to meet with a group of Fireflies. On the way to meeting with the rebels, the group encounters a type of infected called ‘Clickers’ for the sounds they make to echolocate prey. The clicking sound they make was chilling with spatial audio, and hearing it so distinctly made the creature seem much more daunting.

The “Jungles” episode of Our Planet was also a fun watch; the birds chirping and the cicadas singing in the background sounded distant but detailed, offering a layer of immersion that I never thought I needed but now don’t want to live without. Dune also featured interesting sound effects when characters used the ‘Voice.’ Encanto‘s melody and harmonies were enchanting, and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” sounds more impactful and ominous when the acoustics come at you from different angles.

Lastly, I watched Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which, alongside its popping colours and visuals, offered an impressive audio experience with background music that popped but was still unintrusive.

Part of the entertainment in your room involves video games, and I tried out Dead Cells and Samurai Jack on Apple Arcade. Both provided an excellent sound stage. I typically play games on my PS5 (which you can use with the HomePod), and I use my Pulse 3D wireless headset, which provides surround sound. When playing these two Apple Arcade games, it felt like I was using my headset again. Dead Cells’ adaptive music sets the tone for the gruelling rogue-like adventure, whereas the voice acting and machine-destroying sound effects in the Samurai Jack game amplify the experience.

How the HomePod does it

The smart speaker features a seamless, acoustically transparent mesh fabric with a backlit touch surface that brightens around the edges. It also offers a custom-engineered high-excursion, built-in bass EQ mic, and beamforming array of five tweeters around the base that work together for a better acoustic experience.

These tweeters send vocals toward the user with instrumentation going in other directions to bounce off walls, which was what I experienced when listening to “Stacy’s Mom” as I felt the vocals in the core of my soul. The HomePod can do this thanks to its S7 chip combined with software and system-sensing tech that offers computational audio. The speaker senses the room with sound (echolocation) to detect whether it’s positioned beside a wall or freestanding and adapts in real time. Apple’s 1st-Gen HomePod also included similar functionality.

The Siri of it all

Apple’s speakers work alongside its smart digital assistant Siri, which allows users to say “Hey Siri” to activate it. With it, you can tell it to play Game of Thrones on Crave or play “Circles” by Post Malone on Apple Music without any issues. Sometimes if you don’t say which app you want, though, the assistant won’t be able to follow through with the command. Just saying, “Hey Siri, play Into the Spider-Verse,” will bring up the film on Apple TV to rent, but not Netflix, where you can stream it with a subscription.

“The new HomePod also offers Matter support, which enables home products to work across ecosystems while also maintaining the highest level of security.”

You can also activate ‘Find My’ on the HomePod, allowing you to ask the smart speaker to find the location of your phone. Another cool feature is Sound Recognition, which listens for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and sends a notification directly to the user’s iPhone. Thankfully, I didn’t have to use it during my testing. The built-in temperature and humidity sensor can measure indoor environments, so a user can create automation that closes the blinds or automatically turns on the fan when a specific room temperature is reached. I don’t have any smart home technology that can take advantage of this feature, but it’s cool to have the option. And now, my Home app tells me the temperature inside my home, which is an added bonus.

The new HomePod also offers Matter support, enabling home products to work across ecosystems while maintaining the highest level of security. Apple gave me a smart plug to try this out as well. Given that Matter technology is becoming increasingly popular, it’s great that the HomePod includes this functionality.

The smart speaker uses your home’s Wi-Fi, so you’ll need a good connection for the 2nd-Gen HomePod to work reliably. While the experience was great most of the time when my roommate hopped on Overwatch, and the other started playing World of Warcraft, the connection in my living room suffered. I noticed that when this happens, the HomePod has a more difficult time working alongside the Apple TV 4K. Playing music isn’t an issue, but using the speakers as my sound system seems to falter as only one (or neither) of them would connect to the Apple TV 4K. Of course, not everyone will have this experience, and it’s no fault of Apple as I need better Wi-Fi coverage in my home, but it’s something to consider.

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2023 HomePod review roundup: similar sound, same price - AppleInsider

The new HomePod is priced at $299

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Reviews are in for the new large HomePod, with them saying that while Siri is faster, and it has a similar sound, a high price make it hard to justify the product for round two.

Apple reintroduced the HomePod on January 18 at the same $300 price point it had when it was discontinued in 2021. It has a tweaked external design, a reconfigured speaker layout, and new sensors for improved audio reproduction.

Despite being the same price and size, it has two fewer tweeters and two fewer microphones. New sensors include temperature, humidity, and a dedicated system sensor for the audio algorithm.

Apple didn't spend any time comparing the new model to the old one in its announcement, so there was no clear promise of how audio might sound. However, early previews wowed some listeners and new tech seemingly ensured at least equal, if not better, audio.

The new HomePod ships to customers on Friday, February 3. Here's what initial reviews had to say about the revived smart speaker.

The Verge: better all around

The Verge praises the HomePod's sound quality, new sensors, and fast Siri responses. But, they say that it isn't a perfect speaker with its high price, which doubles when buying the better-optimized stereo pair.

The high cost is a sticking point, according to The Verge. They note that competitors have premium smart speakers closer to the $200 range.

That, and the review also says that large HomePod doesn't offer any special features beyond better sound compared to the $100 HomePod mini.

Use the HomePod with an Apple TV

The user-removable plug is a bonus, as Apple has adopted a standard figure-eight adapter. The review highlights hardware additions like a temperature sensor and the U1 chip bringing welcome new functionality to the speaker.

The sound quality is comparable to the original, with some subtle improvements in how music is rendered. However, the audio doesn't offer much warmth and is described as "clinical."

The review goes on to say that Siri is still the same, as in it won't respond to requests any differently. However, it is much faster and more reliable at providing answers.

The consistent sound and returning $299 price tag make it seem like Apple is playing it safe to The Verge.

MKBHD: Confusing product

MKBHD calls the new HomePod "one of the most confusing new Apple products I've seen in a long time."

However, the first HomePod also had amazing sound at a similar price, so Apple's play here doesn't make sense according to his review. If the first model flopped, it doesn't seem like Apple didn't do much to prevent that from happening again is the essential take on Brownlee's review.

Brownlee adds that it is both an amazing speaker and a bad product. Siri can be bad at times, Spotify can't be set as a default music player, and the price is hard to justify.

Most people will be better off with a HomePod mini or a competing speaker, depending on user preference and needs. He also notes that it still leaves a ring on some finishes, so use a coaster.

TechCrunch: new tricks, familiar look

TechCrunch describes the new HomePod's audio as "full." The highs are high, and the lows are low.

As always, having a stereo pair is better, according to the reviewer. Audio separation is great with one speaker, but two leave more space for the instruments. The low end can be overwhelming.

The review says that customers considering the HomePod need to have an iPhone, subscribe to Apple Music, and are building a smart home. Otherwise, the product doesn't make sense at that price.

TechCrunch concludes with calling the second-generation HomePod a good speaker that will work well for a select cross-section of consumers. It isn't for everyone, but it seems likely that Apple wouldn't have it any other way.

Engadget: a smarter smart speaker

Engadget says the new HomePod is best suited for those who have committed to Apple's ecosystem. It has more tools, a better Siri, and a lower price than the original did at launch in 2018.

The old HomePod had a raised glass top and the Siri waveform was small

The review cites great sound quality, improved smart home abilities, and the lower price point as positives. For the most part, the HomePod sounds amazing, but some choices in audio processing won't appease everyone.

The audio over emphasizes voice, which isn't ideal for some content according to the reviewer. Users will also need to fork over more cash for a second unit for maximum audio quality. And the lack of alternate inputs or even Bluetooth isn't ideal.

The Engadget review wraps up with a note that the HomePod is built for dedicated Apple users, and the only suitable alternative is the HomePod mini. The new HomePod is better in some ways because Apple had more time to define its smart speaker toolset and improve Siri, so it should only get better from here.

PCMag: more competitive

PCMag put the new HomePod through its paces with various audio tracks to test its performance. It can get loud and won't distort audio, but it isn't going to blow the roof off your house.

HomePod uses an array of sensors for computational audio

The review's testing revealed that songs like The Knife's "Silent Shout" would drive the HomePod to deliver powerful bass thumps at all volume levels. Though, songs like Kendrick Lamar's "Loyalty" would push against the lower limits of the main woofer's range.

To its credit, according to the reviewer, the HomePod can deliver robust lows for the most part, just not the deepest subwoofer-realm lows.

The review goes on to say highs and vocals perform well too, and listeners should enjoy the bass-forward and bright sound signature, though some will find it too sculpted. The lack of an EQ does present an issue, as users can't customize the sound to their preference either.

PCMag wraps up to say that the new HomePod is a notable improvement over the original and delivers far more bang than the HomePod mini. It earned the publication's Editor's Choice award.

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Physicists Used Sound Waves to Give a Tiny Sun Its Own Kind of Gravity - ScienceAlert

Scientists have a problem when it comes to modeling space events inside laboratories: Earth's gravity tends to get in the way, making it difficult to replicate environments away from our planet.

A recently proposed solution takes the form of a tiny glass ball a mere 3 centimeters (just over an inch) in diameter. In spite of its size, the ball simulates key forces surrounding giant planets and stars rather well.

By using sound waves as a substitute for gravitational forces, researchers can gather crucial data on the formation and behavior of space weather such as solar flares that have the potential to impact spaceflight, satellites, and life on Earth.

"Sound fields act like gravity, at least when it comes to driving convection in gas," says physicist John Koulakis, from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

"With the use of microwave-generated sound in a spherical flask of hot plasma, we achieved a gravity field that is 1,000 times stronger than Earth's gravity."

Sulfur gas inside the ball was heated up to a temperature of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (that's 2,760 degrees Celsius) to produce sound waves that acted like an extremely strong gravitational pull, generating currents in the hot, weakly ionized gas (or plasma).

Effects observed inside the sphere. (Koulakis et al., Physical Review Letters, 2023)

The end result was plasma convection, where gas cools as it nears the surface of a body such as a planet, before dropping back towards the core, where it reheats and rises again. The flowing gas generates its own magnetic field, which in stars would form the foundations of various forms of space weather.

Convection currents generation in the plasma with some assistance from 'acoustic' gravity. (Koulakis et al., Physical Review Letters, 2023)

Many of the conditions inside the glass ball, such as the way the hottest plasma was held at the center of the sphere, resembled mechanisms theorized to occur in stars. That sort of result has previously been very difficult to recreate inside the lab, yet now has been captured on camera.

"People were so interested in trying to model spherical convection with laboratory experiments that they actually put an experiment in the space shuttle because they couldn't get a strong enough central force field on the ground," says physicist Seth Putterman, from UCLA.

The basis of the research actually comes from a study into lamps, sound, and hot balls of gas, rather than anything related directly to space. This newfound ability to control the movement of plasma with acoustic energy could be useful in a range of other fields too, including studies of our own planet.

For the team, the next step is to scale up the experiment so it more closely matches the conditions in space (particularly in terms of temperature), and to investigate other aspects of the simulation. Essentially, the team needs to look at the experiment in more detail and get it to last for longer.

Right now, there are some types of convection behavior that we see around stars and planets that are too difficult to replicate with even the most powerful computers. With more development, this type of experiment could take on the job.

"What we showed is that our system of microwave-generated sound produced gravity so strong that Earth's gravity wasn't a factor," says Putterman. "We don't need to go into space to do these experiments anymore."

The research has been published in Physical Review Letters.

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Man Goes Jogging On Beach And Hears A Sound That Stops Him In His Tracks - The Dodo

It was a clear January day when a San Francisco resident decided to go for a jog along the beach. The wind howled as he ran down the shoreline, but a strange sound slipped through the breeze and stopped him in his tracks.

“He heard a muffled bark, but there was no one in sight,” animal control officer Carlos Ortega told The Dodo.

The Good Samaritan decided to look around the steep, rocky cliffs lining the beach for the source of the sound. A few minutes into his search, he peered down into a rock structure and saw a pair of eyes staring at him.

SAN FRANCISCO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL

Without skipping a beat, the man called his local animal control center San Francisco Animal Care & Control and told dispatchers who he’d found. That’s when they called Ortega.

Ortega made his way to the beach as quickly as possible. The tide was getting higher, and soon in the rocks would soon be flooded.

“She didn’t really have a lot of time to be in that situation without harm coming over her,” Ortega said. “The tide was coming in, so I had to work fast.”

The jogger left before Ortega reached the beach, but he made sure to send the rescue team a pin of the dog’s location and a picture of the rock structure before doing so. Ortega then used the information to find the exact rock pile the dog was trapped under.

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“I started looking at all the rocks on the cliffside, trying to match the pattern of the rocks in the picture with what I was looking at in front of me,” Ortega said. “But the entire area looked identical to what the picture looked like.”

After 15 minutes of searching, Ortega successfully located the rock pattern from the picture. Then, he started looking in every crevice, trying to find an open space big enough for a dog to hide in.

The rescuer was winded from canvassing the rocks alone, so he decided to call his colleagues for backup. As he reached for his phone, Ortega took one more look at the rocks and made an exciting discovery.

“I looked down and saw Gwen staring up at me,” Ortega said. “She was shivering, but she didn’t make a peep. Not a single sound.”

SAN FRANCISCO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL

Ortega immediately started strategizing a plan for removing the rocks above Gwen without hurting her. Eventually, he was able to lift the top rock off and push it down the cliff, revealing a weary Gwen.

“I reached down and pet her,” Ortega said. “She stopped shaking for a second and moved closer to me while I was petting her. That was a good sign.”

Once he gained her trust, Ortega put a leash around the pup for safety and carefully lifted her out of her rock cave. He checked her over for injuries, which she was clear of, then snapped a sweet selfie with his new friend.

SAN FRANCISCO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL

“She was nice and calm,” Ortega said. “She just nuzzled up to me.”

The officer brought Gwen back to his truck, where he scanned her for a microchip. The scanner successfully identified her microchip and, within a few minutes, he'd located Gwen's family.

Ortega soon learned that Gwen’s family had been looking for her for hours after the pup escaped earlier that morning. As soon as he got their address, Ortega went straight to Gwen’s house to reunite her with her family.

SAN FRANCISCO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL

Gwen ran into her family’s arms as soon as she saw them, and hasn’t left their side since. Ortega is happy that Gwen’s story had a happy ending, which he credits to the team effort it took to save her.

“The only way a rescue like this can happen is with a team effort and help from the public,” Ortega said. “Because the jogger was able to give us such pertinent information and the dispatchers asked the right questions, we found her just in time.”

SAN FRANCISCO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL

Ortega has since gone on to perform more rescues, but the moment he found Gwen will stay with him forever.

“Coming to work every day, you have the potential of changing someone’s life,” Ortega said. “In this case, it was Gwen and her family.”

To help animals like Gwen get the care they need, make a donation to San Francisco Animal Care & Control.

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Some BMW EVs aren't making their pedestrian warning sounds - The Verge

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The automaker will be issuing a software update to satisfy the NHTSA’s recall.

As Jalopnik jokes, the cars are being recalled because they’re too quiet.

Image: Roberto Baldwin for The Verge

BMW is recalling almost 3,500 EVs due to issues with the artificial sound generator that’s meant to warn people when the vehicles are backing up or traveling at low speeds. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, the recall applies to some 2022 and 2023 BMW i4 and iX models.

Federal safety standards require EVs or hybrids to make a certain amount of noise so that pedestrians can tell that there’s a car coming. Since electric motors are generally pretty quiet, especially at low speeds (the tires will likely be pretty loud on their own when you’re going faster), auto manufacturers usually have their cars make artificial sounds. That often ends up being a futuristic hum or whir; for performance models of the i4, BMW even worked with Hans Zimmer to create a sound meant to evoke the idea of a gas engine.

The problem with the affected cars is that the system that makes the noise doesn’t always work. According to the recall, “the artificial sound generator control unit may experience a fault and fail to generate the external pedestrian warning sound.”

It’s apparently fixable via a software update, though it doesn’t seem like BMW is taking the Tesla approach of doing it over the air. The NHTSA’s notice says that “dealers will update the external artificial sound generator software” for free, implying that you will still have to take your car in to get it fixed. If you own one of these cars, keep an eye out for a notification letter from BMW, which is due to be sent out on March 17th.

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Navy Closes 4 Puget Sound Submarine Dry Docks Following Earthquake Risk Study - USNI News - USNI News

The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Olympia (SSN-717) arrives at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a port visit in January 2017. US Navy photo.

Four dry docks the Navy uses to overhaul nuclear submarines in Washington are temporarily closed after the service found they are at risk for earthquake damage, service officials told USNI News on Thursday.

The dry docks, three at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Wash., and the delta pier at the Trident Refit Facility in Bangor, Wash., are still certified to overhaul nuclear submarines, but the Navy has decided to keep the dry docks empty pending further investigation.

“The seismic assessment and expert validation enhances the Navy’s knowledge of the potential issues associated with a large earthquake occurring during a submarine maintenance availability,” reads a statement from the service.
“With this new knowledge, the Navy determined that it needs to remediate specific vulnerabilities to ensure the safety of the shipyard workforce, sailors, the local public, the environment and the submarines.”

As a result of the findings, the Navy over the last week brought in about one hundred experts from across the fleet and outside the service to assess the seismic risk to the dry docks, a Navy official told USNI News.

“The risks are still not fully quantified. What we’re doing is no different from what anyone in the Northwest that has facilities is doing – the risk is not localized here. It’s really a regional risk,” a separate service official told USNI News.

The pause at the dry docks will not result in the reduction of the 14,000 personnel working at the yard, the Navy said on Thursday.

The Navy established PNSY in 1901, with the oldest of the six dry docks originally built in 1906. The dry docks the service has closed are four of the newest ones. Dry Dock 4 and 5 were both built in the early 1940s, while Dry Dock 6 – used for aircraft carrier overhauls – was completed in 1962.

The delta dry dock that’s 13 miles away in Bangor was completed in the 1980s as part of the Navy’s support systems for its nuclear ballistic-missile submarine fleet.

“They are all constructed differently and out of an abundance of caution we want to take a look at all of them,” a second Navy official told USNI News.
The Navy has for years known of the seismic risk to Puget Sound, as the facility sits on multiple fault lines, USNI News understands. It’s unclear what new information the Navy gleaned from the recent seismic assessment.

Undated photo of the TRF Bangor Delta pier

The yards in Bremerton and Bangor sit near a major fault line that runs from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino, Calif. In 2001, an earthquake with an epicenter near the shipyard prompted the service to look at the risk to the shipyard.

“Following the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, seismic vulnerability studies identified high-risk facilities in the shipyard, and in response, the Navy began planning and implementing significant seismic upgrades,” reads a Thursday statement from the Navy.

“The Navy continues to plan and conduct upgrades; several projects are in progress, and the remaining facilities will be addressed as part of the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program.”

An overhaul to the dry docks that would allow them to better sustain earthquake damage could take somewhere between 18 and 24 months, based on previous Navy assessments, USNI News understands. That kind of work could include removing the floor and sides of a dry dock and using different types of sand to absorb motion in the case of an earthquake.

It’s unclear how the pause in the four dry docks will affect the backlog of nuclear submarine maintenance in the service’s four public shipyards. According to a 2020 Government Accountability Office report, the Navy had more than 4,000 days of delays in submarine maintenance between Fiscal Year 2015 and FY 2019.

Program Executive Officer for Attack Submarines Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker in November said 18 of the Navy’s 50 attack submarines were in maintenance or waiting to go into a yard for an availability.

The Navy brought down its average number of maintenance days from 1,500 to 1,600 in FY 2019 to about 1,100 in FY 2022, Rucker said at the time. The Navy hopes for that number to go down to 700 days by FY 2026.

Given the physical characteristics of submarine maintenance work, a limited amount of it can get done pierside, USNI News understands.

While the Navy could divert some attack submarine maintenance to other locations like Point Loma, Calif., and even potentially Guam, Puget Sound and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard are working through a backlog of submarines.

When factoring in the potential for a conflict in the Indo-Pacific and accidents like the 2021 incident with USS Connecticut (SSN-22), which hit an uncharted sea mount in the South China Sea, the capacity could become further strained.

The ballistic-missile submarine work at Bangor, however, could become a more immediate issue. SSBNs go into the Trident facility for shorter, more intense maintenance periods that average about 40 days before heading back out for patrols. This allows the Navy to surge the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad when necessary.

For now, the Navy is continuing to analyze mitigation efforts for the dry docks and is unsure as to when it will reopen them.

“We’ve got a hundred people across different organizations and different seismic backgrounds that are bringing some unique solutions and ideas to this,” the first Navy official told USNI News.
“The Department of Defense pulled out all the stops to try and get the right people together quickly to go after this.”

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Playing this illegal sound on TV means a $500,000 fine - NME

The broadcast of an emergency sound has landed broadcaster Fox with a hefty fine from the United States’ Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The network has been accused of using the attention signal sound from the Emergency Alert System (EAS) – which is used as a warning system in the country in the case of a national emergency – as part of an advertisement.

The EAS system is traditionally able to take over any TV or radio across the country, broadcasting a message from the President of the United States.

However, the FCC has issued Fox with a notice of apparent liability of forfeiture over their use of a three-second clip of the sound in November 2021 for “a short comedic advertisement for an upcoming game, aired as part of the FOX NFL SUNDAY pre-game show”.

Fox network logo. CREDIT: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo

The use of the sound is illegal, however, in order to preserve “the unique purpose and effectiveness of the EAS Tones” – meaning that it is banned from wider use in order to stop citizens becoming desensitized to it, as it is only used in catastrophic situations.

As part of the notice to Fox, the FCC said they found them responsible for “broadcasting the Promotional Segment containing the EAS Tones” on many of its stations.

They added: “Despite being shorter in duration than the full EAS Tones, the three-second EAS Tone used in the Promotional Segment possessed the same dual-tone frequency, pitch, and timbre as the actual EAS Tones, and was recognizable by viewers or listeners as substantially similar to the EAS Tones.

FCC headquarters. CREDIT: Sipa US / Alamy Stock Photo

“The Promotional Segment’s ‘comedic tone’ also did not alter or neutralize its overall effect of falsely warning listeners and viewers of a non-existent emergency, as the EAS Tones were clearly audible, cognizable, and appropriated for a non-emergency use.

“This manner of appropriation of the EAS Tones is exactly the type of simulation that the Commission’s rules seek to address and prohibit in order to avoid diluting the EAS Tones’ real meaning over time.”

As such, they have been fined $504,000 (£407,226) over “apparent egregious violation of section 11.45(a) of the Commission’s rules”.

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Opinion: Developing Ferrari’s Signature EV Sound Must Be Tough, But There Are Even Tougher Challenges Ahead for Supercar Brands - CarScoops

Move to electric power and autonomous driving could dramatically dilute the character of supercars

by Chris Chilton

2 hours ago

by Chris Chilton

It could be the coolest job in the car business, or it could be the worst. A team at Ferrari has been working out how the company’s EVs should sound, which is a massive deal, because the noise of a Ferrari’s combustion motor is a core part of its appeal.

You could reasonably argue that the way a combustion supercar sounds is more important than ever. Why? Because that rich, potentially slightly terrifying tune coming from the exhaust and induction system gives them a USP in an automotive landscape when even many premium or luxury cars have downsized to efficient and soulless four-cylinder engines.

We used to be able to say the same thing about supercars and performance, but not any more. These days many combustion supercars run the risk of having their asses handed to them by the quickest EV sedans and SUVs when the stoplight turns green. And though we can expect the first fully electric Ferrari coming in 2025 to be faster than any regular EV, it’s going to become harder and harder for all automakers to make the kind of gains (and certainly useable gains) in acceleration that we’ve enjoyed in recent years.

So what’s left if you take away the sound and performance advantage? You could argue that exotics will still have a handling advantage, but how useful is that going to be 20 or 30 years down the line when cars are driving themselves? Steering feel becomes irrelevant when you haven’t got a steering wheel, or leave it stored in the dashboard most of the time. And since even automated supercars are going to have to drive at the same speed as every other automated car, the fact that they could theoretically pull 3g on a skidpad won’t matter one bit. Plus, as your girlfriend has probably told you a millions times, getting tossed about as a passenger is a lot less fun than it is for the driver.

Related: Ferrari Files Patent That Could Give Its EVs A ‘Real’ Exhaust Note

Ferrari’s Purosangue crossover has a combustion V12, but there’s a Ferrari EV coming in 2025

Clearly it’s going to be decades before that kind of large-scale autonomous driving situation, and – perhaps eventually compulsory – autonomy becomes a reality. But it’s one automakers are going to have to face at some point if they want to remain in business at the tail end of this century. In the short term Ferrari says it will limit autonomous tech to basic Level 2/Level 2 Plus autonomous systems, but the long term outlook is totally different and the likes of Ferrari will already be planning for it because automakers are always looking much further into the future than we consumers and fans are.

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So while we’re intrigued (and yes, some of us probably slightly horrified) by the concept of, in the first instance, a Ferrari crossover, and in the second, an electric Ferrari and what kind of noise its new patented amplifier might make, the suits at Maranello are already wrestling with even bigger conundrums. They’re trying to work out how the Ferraris that follow on much later can still feel authentic when they can’t fall back on the familiar strengths the company has relied on to seduce us over the past 70 years.

Our guess is that design and materials will play an even bigger role than they do today in making us lust after the cars we can’t afford, and maybe the customer base will be happy to accept that new reality. The fact that the Purosangue SUV sold out in record time shows just how much faith buyers put in Ferrari to make big changes when required, and still deliver on the Ferrari-ness.

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LeBron James, Lakers sound off on social media after controversial no-call vs. Celtics - Yahoo Sports

LeBron, Lakers players vent on social media after no-call vs. Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers still aren't happy.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum appeared to foul James on a layup attempt in the final seconds of regulation Saturday at TD Garden, but the officials missed the call and allowed the game to head to overtime, where the Celtics rallied for a 125-121 victory.

James was incensed in the moment, screaming at the referees before dropping to the floor in disbelief. After the game, he suggested this wasn't the first time the Lakers had been wronged by the officials this season.

Celtics Talk POSTGAME POD: Celtics pull out OT win vs. Lakers in one of the WILDEST games of the year | Listen & Subscribe

"You saw my reaction," James told reporters. "It's challenging. I don't get it. I'm attacking the paint just as much as any of the other guys ... It's been building. You've seen some of the games we've lost with late-game missed calls ... I don't see it happening to nobody else."

James didn't stop there, however. About an hour after speaking to the media, the Lakers star shared more frustration on social media.

"That one hurt BIG TIME!!! I don't understand," James tweeted.

James wasn't alone, either. Lakers guard and former Celtic Dennis Schroder also sounded off on Instagram (@ds17_fg), joining teammate Anthony Davis in calling for referees to be fined when they miss calls.

"The refs gotta start getting fined for their mistakes!" Schroder wrote on his Instagram story. " ... The replay center should also use replay to get these calls right especially on an important play like the OBVIOUS foul on LeBron at the end of the game."

Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy (@thereal94feetofgame) got straight to the point in a since-deleted Instagram story post.

"S--- is getting out of hand!" Handy wrote.

(Warning: NSFW language.)

The Lakers certainly have a gripe with the no-call on James, which the NBA has already admitted was a mistake by the officials. But L.A. wouldn't have been in that position to begin with had it not blown a double-digit third quarter lead or if the team had put the Celtics away up seven points with six minutes to go in regulation.

While LeBron was the victim of poor officiating Saturday night, he and his teammates aren't totally blameless for the final result.

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What do planets SOUND like? Hear the noises picked up by Nasa satellites as they passed every planet - Daily Mail

When should you leave a tip? Americans sound off on 'cultural pressure' - Fox Business

FOX Business' Stuart Varney and Lauren Simonetti discuss the new social pressures around being 'solicited' for a tip at quick-service or to-go restaurants.

If you enjoy eating out, then you could be feeling growing cultural pressures around one of the service industry’s most controversial topics: tipping.

A recent report from the Associated Press indicated silent frustrations around quick-service and to-go establishments prompting customers for generous gratuities, sometimes as high as 30%, at places they wouldn’t usually tip.

Wall Street day trader Shaun MacDonald, 27, and nursing student and trauma unit CNA Addison Reed, 25, both work busy schedules and admit to eating out more than cooking at home. They sounded off on the "frustrating" expectation to tip for drive-thru or to-go services, claiming they run into the issue "all the time."

"Especially the drive-thru places," Reed told Fox News Digital. "I know Einstein Bagels does it where they just let you go through the drive-thru, and they just turn an iPad around and expect a tip out of the drive-thru, which is frustrating."

TIPPING AT THE COUNTER: ARE YOU BEING RUDE IF YOU DON'T LEAVE SOMETHING EXTRA?

MacDonald, who grew up working in the restaurant industry, echoed similar sentiments, noting that he sees pre-generated tip options "a lot more often" at his frequent quick-service spots like Chipotle.

The amount of quick service spots prompting customers to leave a generous tip is "frustrating" and creates a "social pressure," nursing student and CNA Addison Reed told Fox News Digital. (AP Newsroom)

"None of those [restaurants] I would really think about tipping at unless it was above-and-beyond service, they help me out with something," he said. "I think it's a little ridiculous especially when they're advertising minimum wage between $13 to $15. Personally, I didn't get $15 minimum wage. I had an $8 minimum wage and barely any tips if I was lucky. So for them to be expecting that, I don't think that's necessarily right to be asking all the time."

Reed mentioned feeling the "social pressure" in places like Starbucks or a local juice bar, where workers request tips for selling a cup of coffee or bottled pressed juice. The nursing student admitted to tipping 15% on average for quick food services.

"The other day on my way to work, they flipped it around so I could tip them on the iPad for making a smoothie for me," Reed said. "I just chose the 15%. But she turned it around and she was standing right there, like watching me do it. So I felt kind of obligated to do it."

While both busybodies agreed they’d tip at a to-go establishment for good quality service, they also expressed that eating out has become as affordable as grocery shopping.

"If I'm mentally exhausted, the last thing I want to do is have to work even more to eat a meal, whereas I could just pay $10 extra for a tip and just go out," MacDonald told Fox News Digital.

RESTAURANT OWNERS FEAR LESS PROFITABILITY AS FOOD, LABOR COSTS WEIGH: ‘WE ARE SCARED’

Reed explained that doling out more dollars for a tip "never" influences her decision of whether to dine out or not.

"Whatever I'm in the mood for, whatever I want to eat, I'm going to go eat that if I have to tip or not," she said.

Wall Street trader Shaun MacDonald recommended businesses include fine print on their tipping prompt detailing whether the gratuity goes to the individual server or business. (AP Newsroom)

The Wall Street trader and nurse’s assistant conveyed that their only concern about automatic quick-service tips is whether the gratuity goes towards the server helping you, the store owner or corporate.

"I feel like if there's an automatic question to ask for tipping, there should be fine print stating where these tips go," MacDonald said. "It doesn't have to be huge, but it should be in writing on the screen saying these tips help out employees or these tips go to all employees, which includes management. It should be specified."

Olivia Kerwin, a full-time college student and server at an upscale restaurant in the West Palm Beach area, confirmed there is indeed a difference between tipping etiquette at a sit-down restaurant versus quick services.

"If I go through a drive-thru like Starbucks or if I pay in-app because now apps give you that option to tip, sometimes I'll leave like a dollar or two because I know that they do make an hourly wage," Kerwin told Fox News Digital Friday.

"As someone who works in the service industry, I don't discount the amount of work they actually have to do," she continued. "But I don't think that I need to leave a $10 tip on a $50 Starbucks order if I'm picking up coffee."

'The Big Money Show' co-hosts discuss when it's appropriate to generously tip for a service and when it's not.

Kerwin claimed the unspoken baseline tip for waiters and waitresses is 20% if "everything went great," but she won’t tip the full 20% at places where "there’s not a whole lot of service going on."

"At my job, most of my tables sit for an hour-and-a-half to two hours. So I'm taking care of those tables to the fullest extent," the waitress pointed out.

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When using the automatically-generated tipping options, Kerwin said that tips on your credit card could end up being split between delivery drivers, food runners and bartenders.

Her general do’s and don’ts when it comes to tipping your server includes remembering the 20% rule, telling your server ahead of time if you can’t tip in full, and – most importantly – being kind.

"Be kind and have compassion. It's a hard industry to be in. There's actually a shortage of people willing to work this job," Kerwin said. "And if you don't want to tip, because tipping is optional, just make sure you let your server know before they take care of you that you're planning on not tipping them."

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